Mangia e Bevi: Sing, Dance, Mangia

This past weekend my girlfriends and I headed out (in the rain) for our friend’s birthday to what on the outside appeared to be  just a small Italian restaurant. The restaurant, Mangia e Bevi, (which means Eat and Drink) is located in the Theater District on the corner of West 53rd and 9th Ave.

When we first arrived the line was literally out the door; in front of us, 2 large bachelorette parties of girls dressed up in heels, hair and make up perfectly done- standing in the rain with umbrellas that were only barely keeping them dry. Why?

The reason is simple. While the menu could be described as your typical italian cusine, Mangia e Bevi is not your typical italian restaurant.

Offering reasonably priced pre-fixed options (in addition to their a la cart menu) which include sangria, a parade of appetizers,  a generously sized entree and dessert, it is not until the waiter has your orders- that the fun begins.

Reservations are spaced out every 2 hours like show times. Once all guests have ordered, each table is handed tambourines, and within minutes the waiters are belting out Mambo Italiano and dancing with the guests. These musical outbursts happen about  every 10 minutes or so, with songs ranging from “That’s Amore” to “Just Like a Prayer”.  The guests are not only encouraged to sing along with the waiters, but they are encouraged to get on their chairs and dance too… and nearly everyone does.

These outbursts of songs happen approximately every 10 minutes, during breaks your meal is served… and then its back to dancing on your chair again.

While this may not be best choice for a romantic night out, the over all experience is both memorable, fun, and unlike any itailian restaurant you’ve been to before. Making it the perfect place to grab a bite for a girls night out.

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